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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · club · bank · suit · hand · wake · charge · arm

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. club — for golf
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bank — for money
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wake — a trail
  17. club — for dancing
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. suit — in cards
  23. club — a group
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com